Issues in Public and Nonprofit Administration

Archive for the ‘Uncategorized’ Category

The nonprofit that I have chosen to research is Rainbow Omega. Rainbow Omega is a nonprofit organization in Eastaboga, Alabama. It helps adults with physical and intellectual disabilities. One issue that this nonprofit has is that it is owned by a member of the Church of Christ. The organization takes the adults to church every Sunday morning. The problem that the organization ran into is that it was only taking a bus to the local Church of Christ. In my opinion, this should not be a problem. However, the government got involved and made them start making it available to go to other churches in the area. I do not agree with this. I understand that it is government funded but that doesn’t mean it is required. I look at it like this, you do not have to go to this facility to live. It is an option to go to Rainbow Omega and it should be Rainbow Omega’s decision on where it wants to take a van to church. There wasn’t a big ordeal because the owner was cooperative and didn’t cause any problems. I think it shouldn’t have been a big deal at all or even that the government should have gotten involved. It is a choice, and it should be a choice where Rainbow Omega wants to run a bus route on Sunday morning.

I chose to not use the websites to find volunteer opportunities. I am blessed to have friends that work with some nonprofit organizations. The first organization that I volunteered with is the Special Olympics of TN. I really love working with this organization. One of my best friends, Nick Dokes, works for Bios Inc. and his individual participates in Special Olympics. I think this nonprofit is an unbelievably amazing organization. It gives special need children and adults the opportunity to participate and compete! This is something that wouldn’t be possible any other way. Special Olympics is fully reliant on volunteers. In my opinion, this is something that is very easy to volunteer for. They are doing a great cause and you can help put a smile on others’ faces while putting one on your face as well. I have been familiar with this organization because my high school hosts the event. The event was just a practice to get ready for the actual event. It was held in Lewis County, which is where I grew up. I helped them with the activities that the individuals will be competing in in the main event. Running, throwing, and volleyball were a few of the events that will be played. I had a great time volunteering for this nonprofit because of the impact that was felt. I could tell that I was making an impact on those people when they would come to me and just hug me like they had known me all of their lives. It is special to know that you are helping someone that really wants and needs your help. I love this organization and I will be doing many more volunteer hours with them in the future.

The second volunteer opportunity I participated in was with my friend, Jack Walker. He was actually doing some construction work at the site and told me about the nonprofit. This nonprofit is called WWIA (Wounded Warriors in Action Foundation). This particular site was at Double Creek in Lewis County. This nonprofit helps Purple Heart recipients. According to the website, “WWIA’s mission is to provide world-class outdoor sporting activities as a means to recognize and honor their sacrifice, encourage independence and connections with communities, and promote healing and wellness through camaraderie and a shared passion for the outdoors” (https://www.wwiaf.org/about.php). This place was incredible. I learned a lot of things about the military, as well as heard a lot of stories from people who came to experience this nonprofit. I was able to carry guys into the field and let them hunt. I loved this because it allowed me the opportunity to communicate with individuals that were willing to sacrifice far more than myself. I was honored to be allowed to volunteer with this nonprofit. The website for this nonprofit is https://www.wwiaf.org/index.php. This website is very clear. It tells you specific locations as well as contact information. It tells you the mission, goals, and how it reaches these goals. It promotes their sponsors and lets you donate yourself. You can also buy clothes and things off the website to help with money too! It also has a calendar that lets you know when events will be going on at the different locations so that you can volunteer if it is possible. This nonprofit is an amazing one and if you have the chance I would highly recommend trying to go out and experience it for yourself!

The third one that I plan to do is from the Hands On Nashville website. I plan to volunteer with the Nashville Food Project meal prep in April. I haven’t ever heard of this before, but it seems like a great cause that could always use more help! You can volunteer for any day you can do it! It will tell you if they need volunteers for that specific day and if so then you can easily sign up. It tells you who is in charge and it gives you that person’s email. Kelli Johnson is the lady in charge of this event. You can sign up as an individual or sign up as a team of 2, 3, or 4. There is nothing you have to do before volunteering, only a dress code. The dress code isn’t strict, just nothing revealing can be worn! This is something that I am interested in and I think that anyone that eats healthy or sees eating healthy as important would find it interesting. I think this is a great opportunity to do some behind the scenes volunteering. Preparing meals is something that no one really thinks about when they are eating but someone has to do the dirty work! If you are a shy person or someone that doesn’t like meeting a lot of new people then this could be great opportunity that you could do. I look forward to participating in this and hope it goes as well as I expect!

On Sunday morning, February 26, 2017, I posed a daunting question to an unsuspecting audience. I inquired whether the water pollution in Flint, Michigan had been remedied. I made this profound inquiry concerning the Flint water crisis on my Facebook timeline. Had the crisis ended? Did the residents of this populous city have drinkable water yet ? Had the lead pipes been replaced? Was all well in the city of Flint? My Facebook friends hadn’t the slightest clue. Only four friends responded. Of that number, only one gave a definite answer, naw. The other hundreds of friends gave no response. I concluded they were either as clueless as the few who had given vague responses or these hundreds of people were all preoccupied with more taxing dilemmas like food selfies, relationship perils, battles of religion, or maybe they were simply uninterested. I will not ever know for sure. Nonetheless, I did manage to receive five likes from this group:D

With so few responses, I was forced to disengage. I had to detach myself from my tried and true method for gathering information and facts. No longer could I garner knowledge from the book in this fashion. Merely posting an inquiry had failed me. Reliance on the scholarship of other bright intellectuals within my group of Facebook friends proved to be ineffective. For the first time ever, my inquiry did not invoke the wisdom I sought. Consequently, a challenge emerged. I had to gird myself for the inevitable. I could no longer trust “The Book” to provide answers to the social issues and questions I found most concerning. Armed with these new facts, I found the courage to bid Facebook farewell. I accepted my challenge and began a new quest for truth.

To obtain truth, I devoted both time and effort as well as patience and strength. I needed all of these traits in order to persevere and get that which I was in search of. I needed to know whether the Flint water crisis had been remedied. So, with my goal in mind and with all the will power I could muster, I managed to successfully venture outside “The Book”. As I bid Facebook farewell, I championed on, growing stronger with every keystroke. Yes, I said keystroke. I faced my challenge valiantly. I did it. I survived outside “The Book”. I moved on. I ASKED GOOGLE.

It was here where I discovered my lone friend from Facebook had indeed answered me correctly. To every question I posed, the truth I obtained rang louder and louder in my ear. NAW, NAW, NAW!

Through my google search, I found several articles and timelines which gave a detail account of the happenings in Flint Michigan. I gained more knowledge than I had set out to find. Mission accomplished. Challenge complete. Based on the information I read at

NAW!As of today, the water crisis in Flint, Michigan has not been completely remedied.

Despite the efforts of the federal, state, and local governments, as well as the efforts of nonprofit groups like The United Way, the crisis has not ended. Foundations, celebrities, and other concerned citizens have put forth a concerted effort to aid this broken city. Water filters, bottled water, and financial contributions have been given to support the people of Flint. The tremendous outpouring of support for the health and welfare of Flint’s residents has been overwhelming. One can only wonder whether the funds generated will indeed be used for the purposes intended.

NAW! The poverty-stricken residents of this populous city still do not have drinkable water flowing through the pipes of their homes, businesses, schools, or churches.

Even though Governor Richard Dale Snyder signed a bill to help reconnect the city of Flint back to the Detroit Water and Sewerage Department (DWSD) which provides quality water from Lake Huron instead of the Karegnondi Water Authority (KWA) which provided toxic water from the Flint River the people of Flint are advised not to drink the water without the usage of a certified NSF water filters.

Naw! All the lead pipes have not been replaced through Mayor Karen Weavers Fast Start program which began twelve months ago in March of 2016.

It was reported by Flint Spokeswoman Kristin Moore that only about 800 homes have had replacement pipelines installed thus far. It is estimated that more than 15,000 homes are still in need of replacement pipelines. It is projected to take years to complete the task. Meanwhile, a And finally, naw, all is not well in the city of Flint, for far too many children have suffering. They are suffering from various health effects like diminished hand-eye-coordination, speech impairment, behavioral disorders, stunted growth, auditory issues, delayed puberty, psychological despair of knowing they were poisoned and now run the risk of acquiring cancer or even disease of the heart, kidneys, or nerves.

Meanwhile, my Google voyage has been epic. I am wiser now than I was before. All of my questions have been answered. This voyage has invoked compelling questions I would not have otherwise considered had my Facebook method worked. Because of its failure, I am better. I stand victorious and even more inquisitive. Now that my challenge is complete and I have obtained the knowledge which I sought, I move forward toward the following matters surrounding the Flint water crisis:

Can the very officials and politicians who were the catalyst for the existing water crisis be trusted to proportionately handle the financial contributions given to heal this ailing city?

Would the officials, who were elected to serve and protect the community of Flint, have acted more swiftly to switch the water supply from the KWA back to the DWSD if the majority of Flint’s citizens were not black?

Would this crisis have altogether been avoided if the median household income was higher than $25,000?

I am Charter Helton. I am currently a junior at Tennessee Tech University. I am 21 years old and I live in Winchester, Tn. I am taking Introduction to Nonprofit Organizations because I have an interest in how so many nonprofits are being successful. One thing that we have talked about is the history of nonprofits. This includes where nonprofits started and how far they have come. This includes the growth in popularity. Another thing that we have looked at is the importance of a mission statement in the nonprofit world. A mission statement is one of the most important things that a nonprofit can have, because it is the key to keeping the focus on the right things. A third thing that we had discussed is the role that the board plays in nonprofit organizations. It is important for the board to realize what their role is and stick to that role. Every day tasks are not part of what the board should be worried about. These are just a few of the things that we have focused on so far this semester and I am looking forward to learning many more things about the nonprofit world.

History The history of women’s rights dates back to as far as the mid 1800’s. The first major women’s movement happened in 1848 in Seneca Falls, New York. This movement was drafted by a lady named by Elizabeth Cady Stanton. Ms. Stanton and many more women did not feel appreciated by the government, education system, […]

So today I want to talk about the Women’s March on Washington and the marches round other cities of the world the day after the Inauguration of President Donald Trump. So why did they march? They marched because they are upset that thousands of Republicans are tired of the federal government using thousands of taxpayers’ dollars to fund organizations like Planned Parenthood, who performs hundreds of thousands of abortions a year. I mean, how dare we Republicans get upset that our hard earned money is being used to kill thousands of babies, right?! The Women’s Marchers demonstrated against people who actually care about other women, people who actually care about equality and the marginalized. Yes, the people marching on Washington have a right to do so, but since their group does not represent the opinions and beliefs of all women, I have issues with their so-called explanation of how they justify their beliefs. If you ask me, they are confused and wishy-washy in what and who they claim to represent. Let’s look at Planned Parenthood for instance. They claim that abortion only makes up 3% of their services. Okay, if that’s the case and they don’t believe abortion is wrong, why even bring that up? I don’t care if the percentage is 1%, because the fact is, they murdered over 300,000 babies in 2014, which is higher than the number of breast exams and cervical cancer screenings. The organization goes on to say that reproductive rights are human rights. Really? Do they really want to talk about Human Rights when they are killing unborn children? What about freedom, they ask? The same groups of women who think the government should have a hand in most everything else in our lives, like restricting the right to bear arms, restricting the freedom of free speech and restricting the freedom of religious expression, also thinks the government should not be able to have a say in protecting unborn lives. Once again, they are flip-flopping back and forth on their issues, issues that only fit in their agenda. The Declaration of Independence states we have the right to life, liberty and happiness. Those were written in that order for a reason; LIFE is more important than your HAPPINESS. Liberty and happiness could not exist without life. If these “women”, and I use that term loosely based on their actions and fashion apparel they displayed during their march, are so concerned about women’s rights, why are they supporting killing children before they are ever born, instead of letting them live to become strong, outstanding citizens that can one day bring good to the world? What if Rosa Parks’ mother had aborted her? Where would this country be? What if Mother Teresa’s mother had aborted her? Think of all the lives that would never have been touched, the people who may not have made a difference in the world and the humanitarian opportunities that would have never existed. The only good thing I can really say about this women’s march is that there was no violence. I cannot use the word respectful, because the signs that I have seen that were used and the interviews on the media did not at all demonstrate a respectful protest. Respect and peace is also found in your words and actions, which was clearly not evident throughout the march.

So why don’t we do this: for those who are mad, angry, upset, whatever you want to call it, that President Trump is indeed that, the President, let’s give him a chance. No matter what march you take, what genital costume you wear or what nasty language you use, fact is, he is still going to be the President. Unless I have missed something, since the five days he has been in office, not one woman has had a right under the Constitution taken away. Let the man do his job and IF the time comes that he makes us women resort to third world country standards of arranged marriages, child brides, non-voting American women, or whatever else he could demean us with, then that’s when we need to have a women’s up roaring movement that will move mountains. Until then, let’s support each other as women, and raise the young women we have around us to be strong women and give those unborn babies a chance for their voices to be heard one day just as you want your voice heard today.

Are single parent households the new norm? As I look around my community, it definitely seems that way. I am not sure if the single family setup is more beneficial to those parents and children, or has society forced this arrangement upon them. We can argue all day and night about how two parent families are better than single parent families or how the children two parent homes are better behaved than their single parent counterparts. But the truth is that each individual is responsible for being productive citizens regardless of their background. I am sure that having two parents in the home has it benefits and tends to make the family structure stable. Studies suggest that having both parents actively involved in a child’s life may reduce that child’s chances of not becoming delinquent or participating in risky behavior. Although these studies may be true, I am sure that each of us may know of some delinquent children that were raised in two parent homes. I cannot say that every child raised in single parent homes have terrible behavior. I grew up in a single parent home and I never let that affect my behavior. I did often wonder why my parents no longer lived together or why a vast number of other children grew up without one parent, a father in particular? I have heard of theories from professionals that ranged from the parents relationships were not stable/healthy enough to stay together in one household to it was more beneficial for those single parents to live in homes without the child’s father because the government is providing this single parent with affordable housing, welfare checks, food stamps, and other government funded benefits. The government will continue to fund the single parent with the benefits as long as the father is absent and the single mother is not working. For this reason, I can say that the government and society has made single parent homes the norm in our communities. In no way am I judging or looking down on those single or two parent families that are doing what needs to be done to survive and to take care of their children. My hat goes off to you. According to the APA (American Psychological Association, over the past 20 years single-parent families have become even more common than the so-called “nuclear family” consisting of a mother, father and children. Today we see all sorts of single parent families: headed by mothers, headed by fathers, headed by a grandparent raising their grandchildren. Life in a single parent household, though common, can be quite stressful for the adult and the children. Members may unrealistically expect that the family can function like a two-parent family, and may feel that something is wrong when it can not. The single parent may feel overwhelmed by the responsibility of juggling caring for the children, maintaining a job and keeping up with the bills and household chores. And typically, the family’s finances and resources are drastically reduced following the parents’ breakup. Single parent families deal with many other pressures and potential problem areas that the nuclear family does not have to face (APA 20170). Although a large number of people may feel that single family households are at a disadvantage for being successful and raising productive citizens, I have to attest that this is far from the truth. Many of our great leaders were brought up in single parent homes. And yes, single family homes seem to be the norm because they are the normal. These parents have been holding it down for their children and family for decades and are they are getting better at being great providers. I must share that,…. it does not matter where you come from, but it does matter where you are going.